MC6+-+Conclusion

= MARSH CREEK SITE 6 = = CONCLUSION =

Marsh Creek site 6 is located in an environmental corridor near the mouth of the creek as it flows into the Chattahoochee River. Marsh Creek in this stream segment does not indicate it's a healthy stream due to multiple factors. During all observations, whether or not rain fall occurred recently, this segment of creek remained turbid. The bacterial water testing proved to contain an extremely high count of coliforms and a correspondingly high concentration of E. coli. from the sample tested the day after a heavy rain, with significantly lower counts the following weeks when no rainfall was recorded. The EPA suggests that water containing more than 560 cfu/100mL is not safe to swim in and this portion of the creek only met this standard one out of the three times it was tested. Because of this, this portion of the creek would not be assigned the ranking of “designated swimming area” in any of the tests that were run according to the GA Adopt a Stream and the US EPA. Consistently, the water tested in the area of neutral pH and a consistent finding of dissolved Oxygen given the water temperature for all tests conducted. Nitrate-nitrogen as well as phosphate testing showed near 0, which suggests that there is not a heavy amount of fertilizer running into the stream.

The trees inventoried as representative of the riparian area of this stream segment showed a majority of Yellow Poplars and American Hornbeam as well as infrequently discovered dead trees. Risk numbers were low indicating no risk of failure in the foreseeable future due to geographical location away from urban growth in the environmental corridor. The River Birch (BENI) had the highest level of risk because of its location on the edge of the bank with exposed roots and has with the greatest lean. It has the greatest probability of falling into the creek and causing a blockage of the water flow and causing a hydrologic, albeit natural, modification to stream flow that would also increase the risk of additional bank erosion.

Given more time and additional collection, testing, and analysis of both chemical and bacterial stream water samples from a stream segment on the other side of the pipe that crossed the stream could prove germane. It appeared the stream ran much more clearly above sewage pipe and further upstream of our study site. Conclusive evidence is required to prompt authorities to investigate the pipe’s structural integrity. In addition, 2-3 months of additional data is necessary to perform useful statistical analysis on findings.

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